Handrail support means



June 23, 1970 w. J. HORGAN, JR

HANDRAIL SUPPORT MEANS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1969 ATTORNEYS.

r- J R n O O Mm O WH N l J m .m W

June 23, 1970 w. J. HORGAN, JR

HANDRAIL SUPPORT MEANS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 23, 1969 INVENTOR.William J. Horgon, Jr.

Wad/Z5 M ATTORNEYS.

June 23,1970 w, H JR 3,516,644

. HANDRAIL SUPPORT MEANS Filed June 23, 1969 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.William J. Horgun, Jr

Y mwM/g ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent 3,516,644 HANDRAIL SUPPORT MEANS William J. Horgan,Jr., Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor t0 Blumcraft of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh,Pa., a firm of Pennsylvania Continuation-impart of application Ser. No.733,083,

May 29, 1968. This application June 23, 1969, Ser.

Int. Cl. E04h 17/16 US. Cl. 256-65 14 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSUREA handrail has a slot in its underside, for reception of the upper endof a post. The slot is substantially T-shaped with the addition of anintermediate, horizontal leg. The end of the post is forked by a single,vertical slot. On either side of the slot there is a hole completelythrough the side wall of the post. The holes are spaced from therounded, terminal portion of the post, so that when the post is insertedinto the T-shaped slot of the handrail, the holes will be opposite tothe intermediate, horizontal leg of the slot. A pin is disposed in eachhole having a conical point protruding into the vertical slot. Means aredisposed in the slot to engage the conical points of the pins and forcethem into the horizontal grooves of the intermediate leg of the T-shapedslot in the handrail. In one embodiment this means comprises a pivotallymounted cam arm. In another embodiment it comprises a plurality ofballs. In both embodiments a set screw is tightened to force the forkedend of the post to spread and firmly engage the side walls of the slotin the handrail.

CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is acontinuation-in-part of my prior copending application Ser. No. 733,083,filed May 29, 1968.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a means forattaching a handrail to a post, and more particularly, to means for usewith handrails supported by posts disposed in slots along the undersideof the handrail.

In the construction of buildings in which ornamental railings are used,it is customary to design stairways and railings for stairways, and thento construct the stairway and mount the fabricated railing on thestairway. It is not uncommon for discrepancies to develop between thestairway drawings and the stairways as actually constructed andinstalled. These discrepancies make it difficult to mount the fabricatedrailing in accordance with the original plans. It is extremely desirablein the field of ornamental railings to have the highest degree ofadjustability possible in the railings themselves, so as to enableadjustment of the fabricated railings during installation of thepreconstructed stairway.

As the art has most recently developed, handrails in a variety of shapeshave come to be constructed with slot means in the underside thereof forreception of various means which may be referred to as support means orconnector means or adaptor means, which are designed to connect thehandrail to whatever support structure is provided; be it a post or abaluster connected to the stair tread, or the floor, or a support meansconnected to the wall. Such a means it described and claimed in US. Pat.3,351,324, issued to L. Blum et a1., Nov. 7, 1967.

The problem faced in the prior art is to provide a great deal offlexibility in installation of handrail units, particularly ornamentalhandrail units which require the fit- 3,516,644 Patented June 23, 1970tings to be attractive in appearance and not detract from the overallappearance of the handrail unit, and also which are easily installed andadjusted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention comprises a fork-shapedfitting for use on the end of a post or other support means beinginserted into the slot on the underside of a handrail, said fittinghaving a plurality of pins slidably mounted in the end of each legof thefork, said pins being of a size and construction that they can bedisposed within the overall dimensions of the fork-shaped fitting sothat the fitting can be inserted into the slot on the underside of thehandrail. The fitting has means mounted between the legs of the fork toengage the pins and force them outwardly into the slot in the handrail.Means are provided, connected to at least one leg of the fork forforcing the forked legs apart, so that they firmly engage the sides ofthe handrail within the slot.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide anattractively ornamental fitting for use with ornamental handrailings andtheir support means, to connect these elements with a great deal offlexibility, and a greater ease in installation than has heretofore beenknown in the prior art.

This and other objects of the invention will become apparent from thefollowing description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective of a preferredembodiment of my invention showing the handrail fitting in operativeposition with a handrail and post;

FIG. 2 is a perspective similar to FIG. 1 showing the fitting in analternate position;

FIG. 3 is a view, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows III-III inFIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section, similar to FIG. 3, with a portion of the handrailfitting in an alternate position;

FIG. 5 is a section, taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VV inFIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a view taken as indicated by the lines and arrows VIVI in FIG.4;

FIG. 7 is an exploded view of the parts of the handrail fitting andhandrail shown in the previous figures;

FIG. 8 is a view similar to FIG. 3 showing an alternate embodiment of myinvention; and

FIG. 9 is a view similar to FIG. 5 showing the alternate embodiment ofFIG. 3 in a different position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In FIG. 1, a handrail supportmeans is shown in the assembled position with an ornamental handrailingand post. The support means comprises a fitting designated 10 which canbe mounted or affixed in any suitable fashion (as illustrated by thebroken lines) on any type of post 11 or baluster, or can be attached oraffixed to an adaptor, which in turn can be affixed to the rail support(see for example Blum et al. Pat, No. 3,351,324). The fitting consistsof a forked member 12, which is preferably a unitary structure havingupwardly extending side walls or flanges 13 and 14, which are attachedto a base 15, and are preferably made of stainless steel or a similarmaterial having a degree of flexibility. The upper end of the forkedmember 12 fits within the slot 20 in the handrail 21. In the embodimentshown in the figures wherein the fitting is essentially rectangular inoverall cross section, the upper terminal end is rounded as at 23.

In each side wall, there is a small pin (25 and 26) slidably mounted inholes (27 and 28 respectively) within the fitting, which pins arepreferably made of stainless steel or similar material. The pins aresubstantially cylindrical but the inwardly opposed ends are conical.

In accordance with my invention means are disposed within thefork-shaped member for engaging the conical ends of these pins anddriving them outwardly into the T-shaped slot in the handrail. In theembodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 7 this means comprises a cam arm 18.This arm is pivotally mounted about the shoulder portion 37 of the setscrew 36 which is threadedly engaged in the threaded hole passingthrough the wall 14 of the fork member 12.

Prior to inserting the upper rounded portion of the fitting 12 into theT-shaped slot in the handrail, the cam arm is pivoted to the positionshown in FIGS. 2 and 3, and the pins 25 and 26 are pushed inwardly sothat they are disposed completely within the confines of the fitting.The fitting can then be inserted into the slot. The cam 18 has twobeveled edges, and 41 (FIG. 6), to engage the conical portions of thepins upon pivoting of the cam arm about the shoulder 37. The end 18a ofthe cam arm is slightly curved to allow entry of the cam arm into theopen portion of the fork, and allow the cam arm to clear the base of thefitting.

Referring to FIG. 5, at the end of the set screw there is a reducedshoulder, as at 37, which extends into a hole 38 in the cam arm 18. Whenthe set screw is advanced in the hole 35, the blind end of the hole 38engages the end of the shoulder 37 of the set screw, and as the setscrew is further advanced, the side walls of the forked member 12 areseparated by the force driving them apart. Thus the walls 13 and 14 arefirmly forced against the vertical sides of the T-shaped slot in thehandrail, so that they are held in fixed engagement with the handrail.

For installation purposes, the handrail fitting is first placed in theposition shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Herein the pins are fully insertedwithin the forked member, and the cam arm is disposed in the horizontalposition being freely pivotable about the shoulder of the set screw. Theforked member is in the relaxed position since the set screw has notbeen tightened to engage the bottom of the hole 38. The upper terminalend of the fitting 12 is positioned, so that it touches the bottomportion of the slot in the handrail.

Refer to FIGS. 4 and 6, where the cam arm has been rotated into thevertical position. In the course of rotating the cam from the positionshown in FIGS. 2 and 3 to the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, thebeveled edge 40 of the cam arm engaged the slopes of the conicalportions of the pins 25 and 26 (as more clearly shown by the phantomposition of the pins in FIG. 4), and as the cam arm continued to rotate,the conical portions of the pins traveled along the beveled surfaces onthe cam arm, so that the pins slid outwardly in the holes 27 and 28respectively and into the intermediate horizontal leg 4 portion of theslot.

Note that the pins fit very closely in a diametral direction, theclearance being on the order of fifteenthousandths of an inch, and sothat the plurality of pins help to align the railing over the distancewhich it has to run. The pins themselves are slightly undersized in theaxial direction, so that they do not engage the end walls of theintermediate portion 45 of the T-shaped slot.

With the fitting in the position shown in FIG. 4, it can he slid to anyplace along the underside of the handrail or conversely where thefitting is attached to a fixed post, the handrail can he slid in itslongitudinal direction over the fitting or can be rotated about the axisof the pins to adjust its position. Once the handrail has been placed inthe desired position, the set screw 36 is tightened, thereby forcing theforked portion to spread and grip the side walls of the slot and retainthe handrail.

While the upper terminal portion of the forked member has been describedas rounded, and as can be seen from the figures is in close proximity tothe underside of the slot in the handrail, it will be understood thatthis is not necessary to the basic invention, but rather is a preferredembodiment. The function of this portion of the device is to help inaligning the pins with the intermediate horizontal leg portion 45 of theT-shaped slot prior to insertion of the pins. It will be appreciatedthat when the handrail portion of the railing is placed on a pluralityof posts, all disposed at slightly varying angles and at slightlyvarying heights, the posts will not normally all engage the slot in theunderside of the handrail in exactly the same manner. Thus, duringinstallation, the rounded portion of the fitting serves a function inthat, once the handrail is placed over the fitting, it can be pusheddown until the underside of the slot meets the upper rounded portion ofthe fitting, and at that point, the person installing the handrail willbe assured that the intermediate horizontal portion 45 of the T-shapedslot is substantially aligned with the pins 25 and 26. Then, when herotates the cam arm to the vertical position, the pins will be forcedoutwardly into the slot.

In an alternate embodiment of my invention the means for driving thepins into the T-shaped slot comprises a plurality of balls acted upon bya set screw as shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. In these figures the forkedmember shown has a slot which also includes an axial bore 102. Theconical pointed pins are identical to those previously described. Aplurality of spherical steel balls 104 are stacked in the bore so thatonce again the pins can be fully inserted into the forked member. Theballs shown have a close sliding fit with the bore. However, it isdesirable alternately to utilize a bore which is slightly oversized sothat the balls can move from side to side. This allows forself-centering of the uppermost ball which engages the conical points ofthe pins. Either configuration will work in accordance with thisinvention.

The lowermost ball rests against the surface of a conical pointed setscrew 136 which is threaded through the wall 114. As the screw isadvanced to the left, the lower most ball will ride upwardly on theconical point of the set screw 136 thereby forcing the balls which arestacked above it upwardly in the bore 102. The uppermost ball will exerta force against the conical points of the pins driving them outwardlyinto the T-shaped slot.

When fully inserted as in FIG. 9 the pins will be driven outwardly tohelp align the fitting with the handrail as previously described. Inorder to spread the forked member into firm engagement with thehandrail, the set screw is advanced further until it engages theopposite side wall 113. As the set screw is tightened it forces the twohalves of the post apart in a manner similar to that previouslydescribed with respect to set screw 36 FIG. 5.

What is claimed is:

1. A handrail support means for a handrail of the type having a slottherein, comprising:

(a) a forked member having a plurality of legs disposed to extend intosaid slot, each of said legs having at least one hole therein;

(b) at least one pin disposed in sliding engagement in at least one ofsaid holes in each of said legs;

(0) means for moving the pins within said legs, so

that they protrude into said slot; and

(d) means for spreading said forked member into fixed engagement withsaid handrail.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said forked member has two legs,each of said legs having a hole therein, and said pins having opposedconical points.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for moving the pins withinthe legs comprises a member pivotally mounted between said legs toengage said pins and move said pins within said holes into said slotupon movement of said member about its pivot.

4. The invention of claim 3 wherein each of said pins has at least onesubstantially conical end which is disposed in close proximity to thesimilarly shaped end of the other, and said pivotally mounted member hasan edge thereof disposed to engage said pins along the conical surfacesthereof.

5. The invention of claim 4 wherein said pivotally mounted member has aplurality of said edges.

6. The invention of claim 1 wherein said legs have upper roundedterminal surfaces.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for spreading the forkedmember comprises a threaded hole passing through one of said legs, andscrew means in threaded engagement with said hole having an end thereof,disposed to engage a portion of the handrail support means opposite tosaid threaded hole.

8. The invention of claim 3 wherein the means for spreading said forkedmember comprises a threaded hole passing through one of said legs andscrew means in threaded engagement with said hole having an end thereofdisposed to engage said pivotally mounted member.

9. The invention of claim 8 wherein said screw means coacts with saidpivotally mounted member to form the pivot means about which said memberis pivoted.

10. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for moving the pinswithin the legs comprises at least one ball mounted between said legsfor movement toward and away from said pins, and means passing throughat least one wall of said forked member to engage said ball and movesaid ball into engagement with said pins.

11. The invention of claim 1 wherein the means for moving the pinswithin the legs comprises a plurality of balls movably confined betweensaid legs, and means movably mounted with said forked member to engageone of said balls and force another of said balls into engagement withsaid pins for moving said pins as aforesaid.

12. The invention of claim 11 wherein said last mentioned meanscomprises a member threaded through at least one wall of said forkedmember.

13. The invention of claim 12 when said threaded member comprises ascrew having a conical point.

14. The invention of claim 12 wherein said threaded member is positionedto engage a portion of the handrail support means opposite to the wallin which it is threaded, to spread said forked member as aforesaid.

References Cited 15 UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,926,798 9/1933 Baumbach287-20.3 2,003,144 5/1935 Graham 287-203 X 2,433,617 12/1947 Marsilius2s7-20.3 2,904,314 9/1959 Thom 256-65 3,071,350 1/1963 Opie 256653,157,378 11/1964 Blum 25665X 3,367,727 2/1968 Ward etal 287-119X3,441,253 4/1969 Blum et a1. 25665 DENNIS L. TAYLOR, Primary ExaminerU.S. Cl. X.R.

